Locomotive stoker



F. Hoes;

LOCOHOTIVE STOKER Filed Dec; 27. 1935 Aug. 10, 1937.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l'hancs H ATTORNEY Aug. 10, 1937.

F. HOGG 2,089,650

LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed Dec. 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR la a/104a H0 BY j 6mm Z6 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1937 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Delaware Application December 27, 1935, Serial No. 56,301

7 Claims.

This invention relates to locomotive stokers which transfer fuel from the tender to the locomotive firebox. More particularly, this invention relates to locomotive stokers of the type comprising several conveyors which are offset at their adjacent ends for the purpose of operating each conveyor independently.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved offset relation between the several conveyors of the stoker and also to provide independent drives for such conveyors.

A more specific object of this invention contemplates providing one conveyor with an ex tension rigidly related therewith and which extension is provided with a spherical shell whose center is at one side of the axis of the conveyor whereby the desired offset relation between the several conveyors is provided. A further object resides in the provision of a shaft which is journaled in the spherical shell of the extension above set forth and which shaft is operatively connected to the stoker main drive shaft by gearing which is adjacent the offset between the several conveyors.

Another object resides in the provision of a supplemental fuel feed hopper in the stoker of this invention, the hopper being disposed forward of the rearmost conveyor immediately beneath the hinged apron which extends between the locomotive cab and tender decks, and the hinged apron being provided with a cover directly over the named stoker hopper whereby fuel may be supplied manually to said hopper upon opening of the cover.

Other and further objects of the invention reside in the novel organization of the stoker elements which are productive of a new and improved stoker mechanism as will be apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through adjacent portions of a locomotive and tender showing in elevation the stoker constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view with parts broken away, of that portion of the stoker mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 which is between the adjacent ends of the locomotive and tender;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the stoker structure illustrated in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3 as viewed in the direction of the arrows.

On these drawings, A indicates a locomotive which is coupled to its tender B by a coupling 0. The locomotive includes the boiler I0 which is provided with a backwall ll having an opening l2 therein establishing communication between the firebox l3 and the cab l4. A fuel bin 55 is provided above the floor it of the tender,

the floor It being provided with a central aperture I! through which fuel falls into the trough conveyor l8 of the stoker mechanism S in amounts which are controlled by the shiftable plates l9. Between the cab deck 20 and the shovelling platform 2| of the tender there is an apron 22 which is hinged as at 23 to the cab deck 20 and rests at its opposite end upon the shovelling platform 2!.

The stoker mechanism S comprises a fuel delivery conveyor 24 rigidly secured to the backwall ll of the locomotive firebox l3 by means including a bracket 25. At its lower end the delivery conveyor 24 is connected by a ball and socket joint 26 with the forward end of the intermediate conveyor 21, the latter being novelly related with the forward end of the trough conveyor l8 as will hereinafter become apparent.

Comprising the trough conveyor I8 is a trough conduit 28 in which is mounted a conveyor screw 29 for urging fuel forwardly. The conveyor screw 29 is driven from its rearward end by suitable gearing 30 which is housed in the gear case 30a at the rear of the trough conduit 28. Power for operating the conveyor screw 29 is supplied by a motor M which is mounted upon the frame 32 of the locomotive A. The stoker main drive shaft 33 is operatively connected at one end with the motor M by a universal joint 34 and at its other end with the gearing 39 for the conveyor screw 29 by a universal joint 35.

Rigidly secured to the forward end of the trough conduit 28 is a tubular member 36, the rearward end 31 thereof extending axially of the conveyor screw 29 while the forward end thereof is offset downwardly and is in the form of a" forwardly opening spherical shell 38. The rearward end 31 of the tubular member 36 houses the forward end of the conveyor screw 29. Formed integrally with the spherical shell 38 at a point opposite its open forward end is a bearing 39 in which is journaled a shaft 49. The shaft 40 extends into the spherical shell 38 and carries a universal joint jaw 4| which is provided with a helical fuel impelling flight 42.

Rearward of the bearing 39, the shaft 40 has secured thereto a sprocket wheel 43 which is engaged by a sprocket chain 44. The chain 44 passes over a sprocket wheel 45 carried by a stub shaft 45 disposed parallel with the shaft 40 and supported in the bearings 41, 48. Between the sprocket wheel 45 and the bearing 41, a bevel gear 49 is secured to the shaft 46 and it is meshed by a bevel gear 50 which is mounted on the main drive shaft 33 for rotation therewith. If desired a guard 52 may be mounted overthe bevel gears 49, 55. This guard is secured to the trough conduit 28 by volts 52a, and maintains the gears 49 and 59 in the desired relation withthe trough conduit. By the particular relation of the gearing described herein, it is apparent that the angularly related and laterally spaced shafts 33 and 40 have been operatively connected adjacent the oifset between the trough conveyor l8 and the intermediate conveyor 21.

The intermediate conveyor 27 consists of the conduit member 53 housing a conveyor screw 54 which is provided at its rearward end with a jaw 55 arranged to be connected to the jaw 4! of the shaft 40 and forming therewith a universal joint 56. At its forward end, the screw 54 is universally connected at 51 to an elevating conveyor screw 58 which is mounted in the conduit 59 of the fuel delivery conveyor 24. Fuel distributing means 65 is positioned at the firing opening l2 for receiving fuel from the conveyor screw 58 and projecting such fuel over the firebed in the boiler firebox B3.

In order to provide for "the necessary articulation between the locomotive and tender, the intermediate conduit member 53 includes the forward section 5| and the rearward section 62 which slidably fits within the forward section 6|, form- 7 ing a telescopic connection between said sections.

At its rearward end the section 62 carries a spherical shell 63 which is fitted over the forwardly opening spherical shell 38 of the tubular member 35 to form a ball and socket joint therewith. 1

For reasons which will become apparent as the specification proceeds, the operation of the several conveyors comprising the stoker structure is of the selective type. In carrying out this feature, the main drive shaft 33 is provided with a clutch 65- intermediate the bevel gear 58 and the gear case 30. One clutch member 55 is secured to the rear portion 33a of the shaft 33 while the other clutch member 66 is slidably mounted upon the polygonal section 61 of front portion 33b of the shaft 33. The last named clutch'member 66 is engaged by a forked member 68 which is pivoted as at 59 and provided with suitable linkage ii! whereby the clutch member 65 may be moved manually along the polygonal section 61 of the shaft portion 33b. In the position illustrated, the teeth ll of the clutch members 55, 66 are not in engagement whereby only the shaft portion 331) will be operated by the prime mover M.

As a necessary complement of the selective operation of the conveyors, a hopper 12 is formed in the rearward section 62 of the intermediate conduit member 53 and it is provided with an upwardly opening flared mouth '13 disposed immediately beneath the hinged apron 22. This apron is provided with an aperture 14 immediately over the flared mouth 13 of the hopperJZ. A hinged cover 15 normally. closes the said aperture in the apron 22.-

During normal operation ;of the stoker mechanism the teeth ll of the clutch members 65, 66

are in engagement whereby the shaft 33 will transmit power for operating the trough conveyor screw 29 through the gearing 3B in the case 38a. The bevel gears 49, 5B and the sprocket chain 44 transmit power from the main drive shaft 33 to the shaft 40 for operating the screws 54, 58. Fuel falling into the trough 28 is urged forwardly by the conveyor screw 29 and reduced to a proper size by engaging the teeth iii of the crusher TI which arches over the screw 29 at the forward end of the trough 28. The fuel is urged through the rearward end 37 of the tubular member 36 and thence drops into the spherical shell 38 to be conveyed forwardly by the conveyor screws 54, 58 to the fuel distributing means 50.

oftentimes, foreign material in the fuel will lodge between the crusher W and the periphery of the conveyor screw 29. This will stall the conveyorscrew 29 and will also render the entire stoker conveying mechanism inoperative. In such instances, the stoker operator may then move the clutch member 66 by means of the linkage "ill to the position illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 whereby the conveyor screw 29 is disengaged from its operative relation with the prime mover M. The conveyor screws 5:4 and 58'will then resume'operation, whereupon the hinged cover 75 in the apron 2?. may be swung open and fuel delivered manually into the hopper "l2. By positioning the hopper 12 immediately beneath the apron 22, the supplemental fuel feed opening 44 in the latter is disposed closely adjacent the shovelling platform 2! rendering the manual delivery of fuel to the hopper 12 very convenient. Upon releasing the lodged foreign material, the stoker operator may re-engage the clutch members 55, 55 whereby the stoker conveying mechanism will operate normally.

Those familiar with the art will understand that'by my present invention the independent drive of the conveyors has been simplified, that the offset relation between the conveyors l8 and 21 and'the drive for the latter are eificient and novel in construction, and that the manual feed of fuel through a supplemental opening has been made more convenient.

I claim:

1. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, the former having a firebox and the latter a fuel bin, means for transferring fuel from the tender fuel bin to the locomotive firebox comprising a conduit mounted on the tender to receive fuel from said bin, a conveyor screw in said conduit, the forward end of said conduit terminating in a spherical shell the center of which is at one side of the axis of said conveyor screw, a conduit extending forwardly from the first named conduit and arranged to receive fuel therefrom, the rearward end of the second named conduit being provided with a spherical member cooperating with the spherical shell of the first named'conduit to form a flexible connection between said conduits, a conveyor screw in the second named conduit, a

. drive shaft journaled in the first named conduit immediately rearward of said spherical shell, and means within the spherical shell universally connecting said drive shaft and the screw' of the second named conduit.

2. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, the former having a firebox and the latter a fuel bin, means for transferring fuel from the tender fuel bin to the locomotive firebox comprising a conduit *mounted on the tender to receive fuel from said bin, a conveyor screw in said conduit, the forward end of said conduit termihating in a spherical shell the center of which is at one side of the axis of said conveyor screw, a conduit extending forwardly from the first named conduit and arranged to receive fuel therefrom, the rearward end of the second named conduit being provided with a spherical member cooperating with the spherical shell of the first named conduit to form a fiexible connection between said conduits, a conveyor screw in the second named conduit, a drive shaft journaled in the first named conduit immediately rearward of said spherical shell, means within the spherical shell universally connecting said drive shaft and the screw of the second named conduit, a source of power, and means exteriorly of said conduits operatively connecting said drive shaft with the source of power.

3. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, the former having a firebox and the latter a fuel bin, means for transferring fuel from the tender fuel bin to the locomotive firebox comprising a conduit mounted on the tender to receive fuel from said bin, a conveyor screw in said conduit, the forward end of said conduit terminating in a spherical shell the center of which is at one side of the axis of said conveyor screw, a conduit extending forwardly from the first named conduit and arranged to receive fuel therefrom, the rearward end of the second named conduit being provided with a spherical member cooperating with the spherical shell of the first named conduit to form a flexible connection between said conduits, a conveyor screw in the second named conduit, a drive shaft journaled in the first named conduit immediately rearward of said spherical shell, and means within the spherical shell universally connecting said drive shaft and the screw of the second named conduit, the forward end of the first named conveyor screw terminating adjacent said means.

4. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, the former having a firebox and the latter a fuel bin, means for transferring fuel from the tender fuel bin to the locomotive firebox com- 5 prising a conduit mounted on the tender to receive fuel from said bin, a conveyor screw in said conduit, the forward end of said conduit terminating in a spherical shell the center of which is at one side of the axis of said conveyor screw, a conduit extending forwardly from the first named conduit and arranged to receive fuel therefrom, the rearward end of the second named conduit being provided with a spherical member cooperating with the spherical shell of the first named conduit to form a flexible connection between said conduits, a conveyor screw in the second named conduit, a drive shaft journaled in the first nlamed conduit immediately rearward of said spherical shell, means within the spherical shell universally connecting said drive shaft and the screw of the second named conduit, the forward end of the first named conveyor screw terminating adjacent said means, a source of power, and means operatively connecting said drive shaft with the source of power.

5. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, the former having a firebox and the latter being provided with a fuel bin, means for transferring fuel from the tender fuel bin to the locomotive firebox comprising a trough conduit receiving fuel from said bin, a conveyor screw in said trough conduit extending beyond the forward end of said trough conduit, an extension rigid with said trough conduit, said extension having a rear portion encasing the forward end of said conveyor screw and a forward portion in the form of a spherical shell the center of which is at one side of the axis of said conveyor screw, a conduit flexibly connected to the spherically shaped forward portion of said extension, a conveyor screw in said conduit, and a shaft journaled in said spherically shaped forward extension, said shaft being universally connected to the last named conveyor screw in the spherically shaped forward portion of said extension, the forward end of the first named conveyor screw being free of operative connections with the rearward end of the second named conveyor screw.

6. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, the former having a firebox and the latter being provided with a fuel bin, means for transferring fuel from the tender fuel bin to the 10- comotive firebox comprising a trough conduit receiving fuel from said bin, a conveyor screw in said trough conduit extending beyond the forward end of said trough conduit, an extension rigid with said trough conduit, said extension having a rear portion encasing the forward end of said conveyor screw and a forward portion in the form of a spherical shell the center of which is at one side of the axis of said conveyor screw, a conduit flexibly connected to the spherically shaped forward portion of said extension, a conveyor screw in said conduit, a shaft journaled in said spherically shaped forward extension, said last named shaft being universally connected to the last named conveyor screw in the spherically shaped forward portion of said extension, and drive means rearward of said spherically shaped forward extension operatively con-nected to said shaft, the forward end of the first named conveyor screw being free of operative connections with the rearward end of the second named conveyor screw.

7. In an intercoupled locomotive and tender, the former having a firebox and the latter being provided with a fuel bin, means for transferring fuel from the tender fuel bin to the 10- comotive firebox comprising a trough conduit receiving fuel from said bin, a conveyor screw in said trough conduit extending beyond the forward end of said trough conduit, and extension rigid with said trough conduit, said extension having a rear portion encasing the forward end of said conveyor screw and a forward portion in the form of a spherical shell the center of which is at one side of the axis of said conveyor screw, a conduit flexibly connected to the spherically shaped forward portion of said extension, a conveyor screw in said conduit, a shaft journaled in said spherically shaped forward extension, said last named shaft being universally connected to the last named conveyor screw in the spherically shaped forward portion of said extension, and drive means rearward of said spherically shaped forward extension and exteriorly of said conduits operatively connected to said shaft, said last named means comprising a stub shaft parallel with the first named shaft, means for operating said stub shaft, and a sprocket chain operatively connecting said stub shaft and the first named shaft, the forward end of the first named conveyor screw being free of operative connections with the rearward end of the second named conveyor screw.

FRANCIS HOGG. 

